Summary

Offers practical, well-organized, & easily accessible advice for writers in a compact yet comprehensive guide. Demonstrates principles of writing that are applicable to both course work & professional tasks.

Table of Contents

Preface

vi

GRAMMAR

2

(104)

Chapter 1 Sentence Sense ss

2

(29)

The parts of a sentence

2

(1)

1a Recognizing verbs and predicates

3

(1)

1b Recognizing subjects, objects, and complements

4

(6)

(1) Subjects of verbs

4

(2)

(2) Objects of verbs

6

(1)

(3) Subject and object complements

7

(1)

(4) Word order

8

(2)

1c Recognizing parts of speech

10

(9)

(1) Verbs

13

(1)

(2) Nouns

13

(2)

(3) Pronouns

15

(1)

(4) Adjectives

15

(1)

(5) Adverbs

16

(1)

(6) Prepositions

16

(2)

(7) Conjunctions

18

(1)

(8) Interjections

18

(1)

1d Recognizing phrases

19

(5)

(1) Kinds of phrases

19

(2)

(2) Phrases used as nouns

21

(1)

(3) Phrases used as modifiers

22

(2)

1e Recognizing clauses

24

(4)

(1) Independent clauses

24

(1)

(2) Subordinate clauses

24

(4)

If Sentences form and function

28

(3)

(1) Examining sentence forms

28

(1)

(2) Examining the purpose or function of sentences

29

(2)

Chapter 2 Sentence Fragments frag

31

(5)

Testing for fragments

31

(1)

2a Phrases

32

(1)

2b Subordinate clauses

33

(3)

Chapter 3 Comma Splices and Fused Sentences cs/fs

36

(9)

How to separate clauses

36

(1)

How to link and relate clause

37

(1)

3a With coordinating conjunctions

38

(3)

3b With conjunctive adverbs or transitional phrases

41

(1)

3c Divided quotations

42

(3)

Chapter 4 Adjectives and Adverbs ad

45

(9)

4a Adverbs

46

(1)

4b Adjectives used as subject or object complements

47

(1)

4c Comparative and superlative forms

48

(3)

(1) The comparative

49

(1)

(2) The superlative

50

(1)

(3) Incorrect double comparatives or superlatives

50

(1)

4d Awkward or ambiguous use of a noun as an adjective

51

(1)

4e The double negative

52

(2)

Chapter 5 Coherence: Misplaced Parts and Dangling Modifiers mp/dm

54

(5)

5a Placing modifiers near the words they modify

54

(2)

(1) Single-word modifiers

54

(1)

(2) Prepositional phrases

55

(1)

(3) Adjective clauses

55

(1)

(4) "Squinting" constructions

55

(1)

(5) Awkward constructions that split an infinitive

55

(1)

5b Dangling modifiers

56

(3)

(1) Participal Phrases

56

(1)

(2) Phrases containing gerunds or infinitives

57

(1)

(3) Elliptical adverb clauses

57

(2)

Chapter 6 Pronouns pro

59

(16)

Personal pronouns

59

(2)

Relative pronouns

61

(1)

6a Pronoun agreement

62

(1)

6b Pronoun reference

63

(4)

(1) Clear antecedents

63

(1)

(2) Clear references

64

(1)

(3) Broad or implied references

65

(1)

(4) Awkward use of it or you

65

(2)

6c Pronoun form in compound constructions

67

(2)

6d Clause as determiner of pronoun form

69

(3)

(1) Who or whoever as the subject of a clause

69

(1)

(2) Whom for all pronouns used as objects

69

(1)

(3) Confusing constructions with who or whom

70

(1)

(4) Pronouns after than or as

70

(2)

6e Possessive before gerund

72

(1)

6f Objective with infinitive

72

(1)

6g Subjective with subject complement

73

(2)

Chapter 7 Verbs v

75

(31)

Tense

75

(1)

Regular and irregular verbs

76

(1)

Auxiliary verbs

76

(3)

Forms of be

79

(1)

Voice

80

(1)

Transitive and intransitive verbs

80

(1)

Mood

81

(1)

Conjugation of a verb

81

(2)

7a Subject-verb agreement

83

(7)

(1) Other words between the subject and the verb

84

(1)

(2) Endings of subjects and verbs not clearly sounded

85

(1)

(3) Subjects joined by and

85

(1)

(4) Subjects joined by either...or

85

(1)

(5) Inverted word order or there + verb constructions

86

(1)

(6) Relative pronouns (who, which, that) used as subjects

86

(1)

(7) Indefinite pronouns

87

(1)

(8) Collective nouns and phrases

87

(2)

(9) Linking verbs

89

(1)

(10) Titles, words as words, nouns plural in form but singular in meaning

89

(1)

7b Principal parts of verbs

90

(5)

7c Tense forms

95

(1)

(1) The meaning of tense forms

95

(2)

(2) Logical sequence of tense forms

97

(2)

7d Subjunctive mood

99

(3)

7e Unnecessary shifts in tense or mood

102

(4)

EFFECTIVE SENTENCES

106

(38)

Chapter 8 Sentence Unity: Consistency su

106

(8)

8a Clearly related ideas

106

(1)

8b Arranging details

106

(2)

8c Mixed metaphors and mixed constructions

108

(1)

(1) Mixed metaphors

108

(1)

(2) Mixed constructions

109

(1)

8d Faulty predication

109

(1)

8e Unnecessary shifts

110

(4)

(1) Faulty is...when, is...where, or is...because constructions

110

(1)

(2) Consistent tense, mood, and person

110

(1)

(3) Consistent person and number

111

(1)

(4) Shifts between direct and indirect discourse

111

(1)

(5) Consistent tone and style

111

(1)

(6) Consistent perspective and viewpoint

112

(2)

Chapter 9 Subordination and Coordination sub/coor

114

(6)

9a Subordinating related short sentences

115

(2)

(1) Adjectives and adjective phrases

115

(1)

(2) Adverbs and adverb phrases

116

(1)

(3) Appositives and contrasting elements

116

(1)

(4) Subordinate clauses

116

(1)

9b Subordinating and coordinating main clauses

117

(1)

(1) Subordinating structures for less important ideas

117

(1)

(2) Coordinating structures for ideas of equal importance

117

(1)

(3) Logical connection of ideas by subordinate and coordinate structures